Zoisite Part 1
by Usako Shields
Summary: The Shitennou were Endymion's loyal warriors, Zoisite was his most knowledgeable, so why did the General become Beryl's minion? This is his story. Part 1 of a Series of 4.


**Precious**

Part 1

Zoisite looked over the rose gardens that dotted the courtyard of his palace. It had been a beautiful season and his life was looking much better than it had before. He had found love and knowledge in meeting the princess and warrior of Mercury, and his precious love. He sighed happily as she took in the beauty before him, his world was perfect, his life was extravagant, and his love was perfectly blissful.

It was the first day that he'd been free of obligations. For quite a while he was training with Prince Endymion in the Golden Kingdom, alongside Jadiete, the older yet more inexperienced of the four Heavenly Kings. He expected to see a lot out of the man, after all he was much more head strong and independent, especially compared to Zoisite himself, he seemed to rely on Kunzite's aid at every turn. The other generals tended to poke at him, saying that he'd had a crush on the older man, and he would laugh it off like the others. Though, he had to admit that the man was handsome, but he was more like an older brother, Kunzite had taken care of him on many occasions when there was so little left to hope for.

He was content, happy with his bright cities, grand buildings, and loyalty of the population. His senses though, did not betray him, and he felt the chilling cold of a harsh winter drift behind him. He turned to see the woman that he'd known as Beryl, a lowly queen of the icy regions, and pariah of the Golden Kingdom. She had once been rather stunning in appearance with pale skin, violet eyes, and dark hair, but now, her appearance twisted, her hair turned red, eyes glowed yellow, and her skin looked sickly. She was horrifying, her aura glowed a dark purple and pulsated around the highly decorated library.

"What are you doing here Beryl?" Zoisite said stepping away from the large paned window.

"You're acting quite independent Zoisite," Beryl laughed, "It's odd to see you acting apart from Kunzite."

Her smile made his stomach churn, "Tell me what you're doing here, or the palace guards will escort you to Endymion's dungeons."

"Oh, so scary Zoisite," she smiled and walked to the large oak desk that stood between them, "Here me out Zoisite, King of Europe and future king of Mercury, I can give you the knowledge of the entire universe, with no strings attached, if only you would join my ranks."

His hair stood on end when she spoke, but he knew that as grand as the offer sounded, it was a trap none the less. "I will not follow someone like you," He said as sternly as his shaking voice would let him.

"Fine," she smiled running her hand over the books on the desk, "Let me know when you change your mind, after all, I'd hate to tell Kunzite that you're such a disappointment."

"Kunzite would never join you, you horrid witch!" Zoisite cried out in rage, his long curly blond hair flying wildly in his face.

"We'll see about that now won't we," she laughed as she disappeared into a cloud of dirty black smoke.

Zoisite shuddered, as he leaned over his cramped desk. Suddenly the lush cotton fabric that made up his outfit seemed heavy, and hard to move in. He shrugged out of the layers of clothing to the rough nightshirt and leggings he wore underneath. It may have been unbecoming of a King of Europe to strip down into his nightclothes in the middle of the day, but he was alone with his books for the day, he could do whatever he wished in his library.

He scanned the collection of leather bound books on his heavy desk. Each one was special, brought to him by his wonderful Mercury. Zoisite ran his hand across the bindings of each. He'd only begun part of the pile, but he hoped to be done with the stack before long. He sighed heavily, shaking his head he dismissed the idea that Kunzite would join Beryl, it wasn't in his nature, it wasn't in any of the Shitennou's natures, with the exception being Jadeite.

Hidden amongst the leaves of one of the Mercurian book, darkness lay in waiting. It shifted in impatience as the man paged through numerous books without a glance in the direction of the being. It surged in anger, had the fool that hid the creature in the book been mistaken and chosen something so utterly worthless that the plan would fail. It disbanded it's thoughts, patiently waiting until either the man chose to read the book, or he fell asleep in his studies, either way would almost be useless to the being. Ziosite's mind was partially closed to the intrusion of anything but knowledge, but his consciousness and body would be key, if he remembered his life, well, that was something that even Beryl could manage, not yet at least.

Zoisite let out a yawn as he stacked his book on the tall pile accumulating at his side. He scanned the top of his desk, he had polished off the majority of the books that Mercury had left him during her last visit, the only book left was the book of Mercurian Lore that she'd left for entertainment purposes. He giggled to himself as he picked up the heavy blue book, of all of the books that he had read, he had never been remotely interested in folk lore, but, he figured that a look wouldn't hurt him. He flipped open the cover and stopped dead. He couldn't move, but he could see a thick black energy encase his body. Before long the man passed out on his desk, the last image in his mind, was that of Kunzite, back turned and scowl on his face, Zoisite had failed him, and failed the Golden Kingdom.


End file.
